Saturday

What was setting up to be quite a victory lap Saturday night for Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray in his final home game ended in a scene that wasn't part of the feel-good script.

Murray was helped off the Sanford Stadium field and into the locker room. He had his arms around two members of Georgia's training staff as he exited where he did much of the work in his record-setting career for the last time with 2:17 left in the first half.

The fifth-year senior was grimacing in pain from a left knee injury.

Georgia's 59-17 rout over Kentucky was already well in hand in large part to a scintillating showing by Murray who wasn't around to see the ending.

He was taken to St. Mary's Hospital, where he was undergoing an MRI.

Murray isn't expected to play on Saturday at rival Georgia Tech, the latest injury blow in a season filled with them for the Bulldogs.

Coach Mark Richt did not have any other updates immediately after the game but said watching Murray leave like he did was hard to stomach.

"It was just sickening," Richt said. "I really had a hard time enjoying the rest of the game. … It was just hard to have a lot of fun. Even right now, I'm glad we won and I'm really proud of how we did, but it's kind of a crummy feeling right now when you think about what Aaron's going through right now."

Murray first hurt the knee on the previous drive early in the second quarter when he gained 29 yards on a zone read run. Three plays later, Murray hit tight end and close friend Arthur Lynch on an 8-yard touchdown pass for a 28-7 lead, his fourth scoring pass of the game.

"You feel for Aaron on Senior Night to get hurt with as much as he's invested in this program and everything he's done," offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. "He played great again while he was out there. Just another phenomenal night for him."

Murray already was dealing with back pain from a hit against Auburn and waved off backup Hutson Mason when he was about to come in the game for an ailing Murray.

"He just didn't want to leave," Richt said. "He didn't want to get out. That's why you just didn't know how severe it was. You knew something was going on."

Murray walked off the field slowly after his fourth touchdown pass and went on a stationary bike.

He was later looked over by head trainer Ron Courson and staff and then led Georgia down the field again wearing a left knee brace. Richt said coaches had decided to insert Mason into the game then, but Murray was adamant that he wanted to stay in there.

Richt told him to convince Bobo on the headset.

"I tried to put Huston in and basically he wouldn't let me," Bobo said. "He said, 'I'm fine and I'm playing.' I said, 'I need to see you move around out there.' He moved around pretty good.' Said Richt: "He convinced him that he could go back in play. As it went on, it was pretty evident, he wasn't safe to be out there."

Murray was clearly gutting it out, but had to come out for the final time ever between the hedges after a pass from the 8-yard line was tipped and intercepted by Kentucky linebacker Khalid Henderson. Murray was brought down to the turf by defensive end Za'Darius Smith after the pass was unloaded.

"It was almost jaw-dropping because the guy made it this far in his career," Mason said. "50-something starts, broke all the records. You'd think it was at least going to be smooth sailing for him as bad as things had gone for us this year with injuries and stuff."

Murray's final Sanford line: 18 of 23 for 183 yards with four touchdowns and the one interception.

Murray has started 52 consecutive games for Georgia since the start of the 2010 season.

"I think it would be tough for him to play this week," Richt said of the regular season finale against Georgia Tech. "I wouldn't count out the bowl right this minute."

Mason, a junior from Marietta who is expected to take over as starting quarterback next season, would get the start if Murray isn't available.

Mason completed 13 of 19 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown in relief of Murray.

"I thought Hutson did well," Bobo said. "He came out there and led the offense and was productive. … He did what he needed to do. He kept us going."

Georgia (7-4, 5-3 SEC) ensured it will have a winning season for the 12th time in 13 years under Richt.

Kentucky (2-9, 0-7) lost its 15th straight SEC game. The Wildcats final chance to avoid another winless SEC season comes next week at home against Tennessee.

After Murray was out for the game, Mason came in off the sidelines and hit 4 of 5 passes for 57 yards as Georgia added to its lead.

He found tailback Todd Gurley on a screen pass for a 24-yard touchdown.

Senior Night for Murray and the other 27 departing players couldn't have started any better.

There was a rousing ovation for Murray from the crowd as the record-setting quarterback was the last senior to come out on the field in pregame ceremonies. He held a football up to the crowd as he joined his family.

Murray wiped away tears as he embraced them - mother Lauren, father Denny, brother Josh and sister Stephanie - and then waxed Kentucky's defense with four touchdown passes in the game's first 17 minutes.

There was certainly no hangover from the heartbreaker at Auburn, where Georgia was betaen on a deflected 73-yard touchdown pass with 25 seconds to play.

We came out on fire and just played well," Richt said.

A screen pass to Gurley for a 16-yard touchdown gave Murray exactly 3,000 passing yards on the season, making him the first player in SEC history to hit that mark. Nobody had ever done even three straight.

Murray, the SEC career touchdown passing and yardage leader, completed 16 of his first 18 passes for 194 yards.

Murray and this senior class finished their home careers with a record of 22-3 in Sanford Stadium with the only losses coming to Arkansas in 2010, South Carolina in 2011 and Missouri in 2013.

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